Car Culture

NORTHVILLIANS,

In today’s newsletter, I will continue the Summer series highlighting the car culture that has been part of our DNA since the turn of last century. Northville was an automobile-cruising town even before the construction of the longest stretch of cement highway in the country, starting in Detroit and ending in Northville (built around 100 years ago!).

Northville’s Love Affair with the Automobile:
For the community’s Bicentennial in 2027, we plan on having a weekend car celebration highlighting each decade of cars from 1900 that cruised our streets through time. We certainly have seen changes in our transportation modes over the past 200 years – from horse & buggies to stagecoaches, from trains (1871) to street cars that rolled down our main thoroughways starting in 1899, finally transitioning to automobiles in the early 1900’s. 

Let’s take a look at some of the Northville Car Culture activities through the years:

• NORTHVILLE AUTOMOBILE CLUB – In 1918, the Northville Automobile Club was established with 100 members. This was the precursor to the American Automobile Association (AAA) which merged with the Northville group early on.
• Henry Ford had his honeymoon in town in the 1880’s and spent a great deal of time in Northville. He brought his vagabonds group (Edison, Firestone, Burroughs) to town to tour his plant here and show off the Village. All the valves for Ford engines (Model T’s to Mustangs) from 1919 to 1983 were made in Northville at the Albert Khan-designed facility on Northville Road, which was a strong part of the arsenal of democracy (WWII).
• SEVEN MILE ROAD – In 1929, The Detroit News reported that 7 Mile Rd from Detroit to Northville was the longest paved road in the country and was upgraded that year in its entirety to 40 feet wide, connecting our two towns for commerce & entertainment. (At one time, Detroit & Northville were ranked #1 & #2 in production in the State.) 
• LARGEST AUTO SHOW IN MICHIGAN WAS IN NORTHVILLE – Also in 1929, to celebrate this new stretch of concrete, Wayne County Fair Grounds (the Downs) hosted the largest auto show up to that point in Michigan (Northville Record). This was the forerunner to the Detroit Auto Show and was sponsored by the Detroit Metro Dealers who displayed brands such as Ford, Chevrolet, Buick, Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler and Pontiac, along with REO & Studebaker. More than 50 new models were shown. 
• CAR BRANDS IN TOWN – Even early on, there were a plethora of cars registered in the area including: Maxwells, Oaklands, Graham-Paiges, along with the traditional Ford Model-T’s and then Model-A’s. We also had our share of Mercedes Benz, Packard, & Studebaker owners in town. Most dealerships were on Northville Road and on Main Street. In 1949 after WWII, the following dealerships were listed in town: Ford, Chevy, Studebaker, Kaiser/Frazer, Packard, Mercedes, Chrysler Plymouth & Dodge.
• CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE OF AMERICA – This world-renowned event was previously hosted in the area featuring some of the finest and rarest cars available. It historically took place at the Inn at St. John’s golf course on the Northville/Plymouth border. Through the years, we teamed up with its sponsors for displays in downtown Northville during their festival of cars.
• Northville’s Concours d’Elegance yearly show, (4^TH Annual) 7/13 – Mill Race Village – Link.  Plan to attend this special event Sunday.
• LOCAL CAR SHOWS – Over time, car shows have been hosted in many places in Northville, including our downtown social district, Northville Downs, the Cider Mill, and the Mill Race Village, along with various parking lots.
• Additionally, Northville was the location for hillclimb trials, NASCAR Races in the 1950’s at The Downs, demolition derbies and the home for many automotive industry folks.
• THE NORTHVILLE DOWNTOWN CARS & COFFEE was established by Alexander’s Custom Clothiers & the Mayor in 2019 and now takes place monthly (Second Saturday) across from Custard Time at the Farmers’ Market site. This site will host many activities in the future, including Car shows and drive-in movies … for our car crazy community. At the car show, attendees mingle with Auto Execs and other enthusiasts conversing about the eclectic array of exotics (Ford GT’s, Maserati’s, Lamborghini’s, Ferrari’s), Detroit Muscle, and a mix of sports cars and classic pick-up trucks.

I invite you to stroll around town after attending the Northville Cars & Coffee this Saturday or the Concourse d’Elegance at the Mill Race Sunday.  I look forward to seeing you driving or experiencing the car culture of Northville this summer.

Keep that Northville Automotive Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849

(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)

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